Leadership Lounge: How C-suite Leaders Can Have Honest and Candid Conversations

Feedback changes when you’re a senior leader. What once felt straightforward can become more nuanced as your words carry more weight, and your position shapes how others respond. Tone, timing, and framing matter more than ever—and are harder to get right. A comment meant to be constructive can easily land as criticism. A question designed to open dialogue can shut it down instead.

At the same time, receiving feedback also becomes more complicated as you become more senior. The challenge is to receive feedback in ways that help you grow—even when it feels uncomfortable.

How can you give feedback effectively as a senior leader?

Dee Fitzgerald, Leadership Advisor, RRA: Frame the feedback around the person’s behavior rather than their personality. For example, instead of saying, “You were a livewire in that meeting”, instead say, “I noticed that you dominated the conversation in that meeting, which led to Sam and Chris not sharing their insights.” This focuses on their specific actions rather than making judgments about someone's character.

How can you encourage your direct reports to give you candid feedback?

David Lange, Leadership Advisor, RRA: Seeking candid upward feedback is always going to be a challenge. If the direct report feels like there's an environment of psychological safety, in other words, the ability to have direct conversations with you without any consequences, upward feedback becomes something that a direct report will offer regularly and proactively. The best leaders ask for feedback regularly.

What’s the best way to respond when someone disagrees with your feedback?

David Lange, Leadership Advisor, RRA: Not everyone responds to feedback in the way that you want them to. It has a lot to do with timing, or the emotional state that the receiver may be in. You might be in a situation where the person will perhaps be listening but not really taking it on board, or they might even actively resist. It’s important that as the person giving the feedback, you stick to your point of view. This doesn't mean being disrespectful or not listening to their response. But it does mean making sure that the person receiving the feedback hears a clear message about the issue at hand.

About the authors

Dee Fitzgerald is a leadership advisor at Russell Reynolds Associates. She is based in Sydney.
David Lange leads Russell Reynolds Associates’ Global Development capability. He is based in Chicago.